Allison: Winter Blues

I mean, I’m alright with it at first. The white snow looks pretty on the ground. The air feels crisp and clean. There is the hint of the coming of the holidays. It is almost kind of magical in a way.

But almost as quickly as I am enjoying it, I also quickly get tired of it. The cold becomes a little too much. The snow is no longer clean and white. There is ice on the ground which is a hazard in itself. The days are shorter but yet they still seem to drag on forever. And it all becomes a little depressing.

In fact, it becomes so depressing in many ways that it becomes difficult to enjoy the things that I love doing. In theory, winter time should be the perfect time to curl up with a good book, in front of the fire place, or underneath a ton of blankets. I do enjoy doing that but lately it’s just been very unappealing for me. I just haven’t had any energy to read any books, or write any reviews which would explain my lack of presence on the blog as of late.

I don’t really know where it came from. It wasn’t as if it suddenly hit me. It has been building over time. Maybe it could be stress related? There have been some things going on at work which have been causing me many different levels of stress. So it is always a possibility I guess. And what if it is a combination of the two things? Oh boy.

Stress + Icky Weather = NO FUN!

I want to be able to read and enjoy it. I also want to be able to write and post reviews. Book blogging has become a really fun and important part of my life over the past year. I love all the people I’ve met, books I’ve read, things I’ve been able to experience. (FYI: My one-year anniversary as co-blogger of Good Books and Good Wine is rapidly approaching. WOW!). Unfortunately, those feelings have kinda drifted to the side a little as the winter blues have set in. Also, add in the fact that I start worrying about how I’m not helping April with the blog at all by not posting. I mean, she has NEVER pressured me or questioned me about it but, still I start worrying because I don’t want to let her down, or the blog down, because it has become that important to me.

So, this is where I’m at right now book blogging world which is why I’m coming to you and seeking your advice. Have you ever experienced the winter book blogging blues? If so, how do you overcome them? What do you do to snap yourself out of them? Is there an easy solution? Does it take time? Or am I the only one out there feeling like this?

I think taking a break from the internet is probably a really good idea. Sometimes there are just too many things that you can get sucked into and that take away your time from more enjoyable things. There is life outside the internet world! 😉

Awww, I’m sorry you have the Winter Blues, Allison. As I’m a relatively new blogger, I haven’t had winter blues in terms of blogging, but I have been in a reading slump for a few weeks. The only advice I really have is to take it easy, and not stress about reading or posting. Because stressing is just going to make you want to read and blog even less.

But also, once a little time has passed, I think it’s good to make yourself read, too. And, on the bright side, it’s almost the end of February. Which means Spring is not too far away now – even in NYS.

I’m trying my best not to stress out about this because all worrying about it does is make me feel more discourage. I’m also really trying to push myself to read but, it is hard because I’ve also been having a bit of a reading slump lately. I’m thinking maybe it might be a good idea to re-read something that I really enjoyed in order to get back into the swing of things again.

i get the same way, TRUST ME. thank goodness for co-bloggers, right? mine isn’t so much the winter blues as the work blues, but i totally understand. everyone gets these feelings! take a step back if you need to 🙂

I think I also have the work blues as well (so much work drama right now it’s ridiculous) which I think is playing into my winter blues. I am very thankful for April. She does so much for the blog, and has put absolutely no pressure on me when it comes to what I am able to do. She also told me to take a step back if I needed to. Hopefully it’ll all pass soon… 😉

Hmm, there are definitely days where I feel less like blogging than others, but I’ve not had any seasonal issues. Basically, I push myself through it with my crazy OCD rules for myself, which might not be the best solution for other people. Like, I barter an hour of tv watching for a certain amount of my book read. And when I finish a book, I write the review IMMEDIATELY upon completion, because otherwise I would put it off until it never happened, which is something I’m struggling with for the book signing I went to. If I don’t do something right away, it’s so hard for me to do it. I just sort of require myself to do these things, so that, even when I’m feeling less into it, I keep chugging along.

I have started trying to force myself to read by bartering with myself. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t (more doesn’t than does these days unfortunately). Either way, I know I have to convince myself to keep trying to chug along, just like you! 🙂

I go through this every year, so I know how you feel. I hate getting into blogging/reading slumps because I feel like I’m letting people down. Thankfully we’re almost done with February which means spring is *hopefully* right around the corner! 🙂 I hope you find a way out of your slump!

Thank you! All these responses is already helping me feel a bit better. Simply knowing that I’m not alone is a great help! I cannot wait for Spring to be here, and for warmer and brighter weather. I think that will definitely help mine (and alot of other peoples) moods, and help with the reading and blogging slump. 🙂

I love winter up until New Years. Then, come January, I want Spring to come! I’ve spent a LOT of time on the couch reading, but find myself getting sick of it. I love reading, but it’d be nice to go out in the sunshine and walk with my book, or enjoy the sun on my face while sitting on the deck with my book. Maybe it’s a scenery thing? I’m definitely sick of just being in the house with my books, it seems. They need to see the world! Or, at least the back yard. 🙂

I don’t think you’re alone in your thinking … it’d sure be nice for the snow to melt and the flowers to come out! Maybe getting some more Vitamin D might help? Or a sunshine lamp?

One of the things that I discovered last summer was listening to audiobooks while I was walking to and from work. I really miss being able to do that, and I’m really looking forward to the snow melting and the weather warming up so I can start once again! More sunshine, more vitamin D — less snow, less cold! 😉

Hang in there, Allison, you’re not alone! I had my own recent experiences with (what I like to call) the “brain drain” and felt completely zapped of motivation. I didn’t want to read, write or do much of anything, really. And I think it’s more than just the weather/time of year, though it doesn’t help much does it? Stress definitely plays a part but don’t let it get you down. You just need to figure out a way to find inspiration again and once you do, it all will fall into place and things will become a bit easier. So whether you spend some time being active or writing in a journal or exploring new places in your own neighborhood, something is bound to light that spark that will make it all click again. And try not to worry about April or all of us. We’re all here for you so take as much time as you need! You’ll kick this thing, I just know it!

I love the term “brain drain” because it really does seem to cover it! I do really feel completely zapped of motivation at times. Hopefully it’ll will pass soon, and I will be able to kick it back into high gear here on the blog. Thanks for sticking with me through it! 🙂

I know how you feel exactly. I feel it in life, reading, and blogging. I do great the first month of the year and slow down. I usually take advantage of the slower time to read some things I normally wouldn’t. Books that I have always wanted to try, but never really got around to.

Sure, it will take me a week to read 200 pages, but they are different and still kind of exciting.

Reading something out of the normal reading scope does sound like a good idea especially if you’re having a reading slump. It might be difficult to stay focused but if you can force yourself to do it, you can find yourself reading something new and different. I’ve been thinking about possibly re-reading something that I know I enjoyed as an attempt to spark my reading interest once again. Whatever method we choose to use hopefully our winter blues pass us soon! 🙂

Allison I totally get this! I think I get just general life winter blues in general which makes me MEH towards blogging. I feel so uninspired in the winter and COLD..which makes me MISERABLE. It’s funny because when I’m in an ok mood I actually prefer blogging in the winter. The struggle for me is more so in the summer because I want nothing less than to be on computer. Like I would be so happy just to be outside all day every day. I think I get more DOWN about blogging in the winter..all woe is me. WAH WAH WAH.

Totally understand this!! Hopefully you’ll find some way to get out of your slump! YOU ROCK!! Can’t wait to see you again in June!

It really is hard to be inspired when everything looks so miserable outside! I know what you mean about summertime though. The thing I’m looking forward to most about summer though is being able to walk to work and listen to my audiobook. Can’t really do that in the wintertime! 😉

I have the winter blues as well. I have no motivation to do anything except watch TV online and scroll through Tumblr for hours on end. Schoolwork, zilch. Essays, meh. Blog posts, later. I know how you feel.

I KNOW HOW THIS FEELS. I’m so over winter at the moment (especially having just returned from the Philippines, where it is warm and sunny right now). I’ve been feeling incredibly lethargic and tired and all I want to do is sleep and eat and repeat.

But, I’ve found that I do have a few tricks up my sleeve when it comes to shaking myself free of the winter blues!

1. I surround myself with bright colors. It helps me feel happier and more playful and more awake.

2. I indulge in my guilty pleasure books. These are books I want to read, that have been lounging on my pile for forever. More often than not, these are ROMANCE novels. So yes, bring on the hot and steamy scenes!

3. Every so often, if I’ve been sitting or lying down for a while, I make myself get up and stretch and walk a few paces. It re-energizes me just a little, and gives me enough energy to move on to the next task.

4. Good dance music is always a way for me to feel better!

I hope this helps you out, and that the winter blues go away soon. Spring needs to come STAT!

Oh my goodness! Yes, yes and yes! I live in IL and for the most part we have not had much snow or ice. Last Tuesday we had a ton of snow dumped on us. I’m sick of it already. It was pretty while it came down but now? Yeah, it can go ahead and melt.

In order to avoid the winter blues, I go out. Go out to eat, go to a movie, go book browsing, spend some time at my local library, go grocery shopping. Just spend some time OUT of the house and that seems to really help. I hope by now that you have shaken your blues a bit. 🙂

Hey Allison!
I daresay wintertime here NC in not exactly like the winter you experience way up there, so I can’t really say I get the winter blues like you are talking about, but I can relate in terms of blogging blues…I go thru these times of MEH blogging, and I have to force some interventions on myself. Fortunately, most of what I do has already been mentioned in these wonderful comments from the people who are much more snappy than I am!

I take days off. I can’t be one of those post-a-day people because it just doesn’t fit into my life, and I think that’s totally okay. I blog because at the end of the day, it is my down-time, my stress relief, my THERAPY, haha. So I don’t want to make it a chore for myself. But even the funnest and best things require time off to avoid burnout. So you won’t find 5 or 6 or 7 day-per-week blogging at my blog because I just don’t do it. I read instead.

Speaking of reading, I mix fun, big-girl books in with the YA books I read. I make sure to put some romance or something in there that I’m not taking notes on or trying to remember so I can blog about. I definitely read books that don’t show up on the blog, and I make sure that when I start the book, I tell myself that I’m not going to blog about it. For me, somehow, I just READ it differently and I tend to enjoy it in a different way – not that I don’t enjoy review books because I do!

Anyway, I know I don’t have any great advice like these other wonderful people – nothing totally original – but I can say that we all go thru it and you’re not by yourself! It comes and goes, and it comes and goes in all seasons. Don’t stress about taking a break here and there or reading a non-review/non-blog book if you want to. You’re fantastic, you’re a GREAT blogger, and April is so very lucky to have you! I love reading everything you write! Hang in there! Spring is coming. 🙂

(Seriously, it is. I totally have pollen on my car and my allergies are nuts down here in the NC.)

Hello Reader Friends!

I’m April and am absolutely delighted you stopped by.

You know that person who always has a book in their purse and a glass of wine on hand? THAT’S ME.

In my free time I can be found binge watching The Office with my husband and baby, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring my neighborhood. I’m so excited to chat with you about all the books we’re reading and listening to.